About Us

Our Story

Our History

1929

Sanyu Babies' Home is a Christian organisation based in Kampala, Uganda that seeks to provide Christ-like love to babies and children deprived of parental love and to reintegrate them into the community through reuniting them with their families, fostering or adoption. Sanyu Babies' Home is the first and oldest Babies' Home in Uganda. Sanyu was founded in 1929 by Milnes Winfred Walker, a British midwife working as a missionary at Mengo Hospital. Milnes Winfred Walker noticed the large number of babies being abandoned at the hospital after their birth and took them into her care. Today, we continue to do this work. Child abandonment is still an issue; many of our children are found abandoned in ditches, at hospitals, in taxi parks, on garbage heaps, at the side of the road or in pit latrines. The children are taken to the police who refer the child into our custody for love, care and attention

Today

Sanyu Babies' Home continues the founding mission — providing Christ-like love and care to abandoned babies and children, and working towards reintegrating each child into a loving family.

Our Daily Work

What We Do

We care for children aged 0–4 years, providing a nurturing and joyful environment until they are reunited with family or adopted. Here at Sanyu, we believe that children belong in families. While the children are under our care, we provide them with as much love and attention as they need to grow and thrive. However, the best place for a child to grow up is at home in a family setting. Our dedicated team supports family reunification, facilitates fostering and adoption and offers holistic care to help children thrive.

A staff member caring for a child at Sanyu Babies' Home

Life at Sanyu

A Day at Sanyu

From morning feeds to naptime, playtime and evening care, every day at Sanyu is filled with warmth, structure and attention, thanks to our dedicated staff and volunteers.

5AM

A day at Sanyu Babies' Home starts with the feeding of our smallest babies. They are then changed and taken back to bed to complete their morning sleep.

6AM

The toddlers and older children are woken up and taken to the potty/toilet. They wash their faces and have a cup of porridge. Then they brush their teeth, are bathed and dressed, ready for the early morning devotion at 7.30am. Our morning devotion time involves praise and worship, sharing the Word of God and prayer.

8AM

It is bath time for the babies. The smallest babies are then bottle-fed and taken out for sunbathing and cuddles with the Mamas and volunteers while the oldest babies are taken to class. The toddlers and oldest children are taken to school.

8:30AM

School time for all! Sanyu Babies' School has three classes: Joy Class, Peace Class and Faith Class. Joy Class caters for babies between 6 months and 18 months and involves interacting and socialising, learning how to be independent, crawling, sitting, playing with toys, feeding, and talking. Peace and Faith Class cater for children between 18 months and 4 years, learning toilet manners, toothbrushing, socialising, shading, story reading, singing, counting, writing and spelling.

9-10AM

Snack time for all.

12PM

The school going children go back home as school time has ended and it is lunch time for all the children. Then it's potty/toilet time and the children put on clean comfortable clothes ready for their nap.

1PM

It is naptime for everyone! The Mamas use this time to catch up on jobs, eat their own lunches, socialise and have a well-deserved break. If any of the children wake up, they will often bring them out of their beds, so they don't disturb those who are sleeping!

3PM

The babies take a bath, while it is potty time again for the toddlers and toilet time for the older children. Everyone enjoys a drink and snack too, and then it's guided play time and an 'outing' within the home's compound.

6PM

The children come back from playtime ready for dinner. Once dinner has been finished, the babies are changed and put to bed. The toddlers and older children have potty/toilet time then are bathed before going to bed.

8-9PM

The oldest children can stay up a little later.

12AM

The babies are woken up for the final day's feeding and their nappies/clothes are changed before they are put back to bed.

Our People

Our Team

Sanyu Babies' Home employs 42 members of staff across 10 departments to ensure the smooth running of our home, and we are so grateful for the work that they do!

42 staff members10 departments